Debate

To review the debate, click here. The introductions start about 33 minutes into the recording; the actual debate starts at the 52 minute mark.

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, will conduct a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism on Saturday, October 15th, 2016 at Concordia University-Chicago in River Forest, Illinois.

The title of the debate is: “Textual and Literary Judgments on the Biblical Text – What Happens to the Lutheran Commitment to Scriptural Inerrancy?”

Editor’s Note: I have asked the debate participants to provide some final thoughts about their debate experience. Below is what Dr. Montgomery provided. I want to thank both Dr. Kloha and Dr. Montgomery for participating. I think it has advanced … Continue reading →

For those who want to listen to the debate in the car, a friend of Steadfast Lutherans has submitting this MP3 file for our use. https://steadfastlutherans.org/clips/Kloha-Montgomery-Debate-Edited-audio.mp3 or download it here … Continue reading →

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, conducted a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism on … Continue reading →

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, will conduct a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism … Continue reading →

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, will conduct a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism … Continue reading →

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, will conduct a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism … Continue reading →

The Montgomery – Kloha debate is scheduled for Saturday, October 15th at Concordia University-Chicago in River Forest Illinois. This is another article in preparation for the debate and to bring a better understanding of the issues to the public. Be … Continue reading →

First of all, thanks to the Lutheran Concerns Association for heading up the organization of this debate. Thanks to Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Kloha for agreeing to do it. The other co-sponsoring groups also for their support of the event … Continue reading →

This article is one of two that is to be published in the September 2016 issue of The Lutheran Clarion, published here with the permission of the LCA. Any typos are our fault in transcribing the text from a PDF … Continue reading →

Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University Wisconsin and Dr. Jeffrey John Kloha, Provost and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Semniary, Saint Louis, will conduct a debate about the philosophies of Biblical textual criticism … Continue reading →

In recent years, several different philosophies of textual criticism have been offered to deal with the problem of textual variants in the biblical materials. The debate will focus on the impact of one’s choice of textual theory on the classic Lutheran conviction that the Holy Scriptures, as originally given, are the inerrant Word of God. This subject is of critical importance not just for theologians and Christian scholars, but also for pastors, teachers, and every Bible-reading layman.

There is no admission fee. The debate will take place at the Chapel of Our Lord/Werner Auditorium at Concordia University-Chicago in River Forest (see https://cuchicago.edu). Starting time for the debate will be9:30 AM Central Daylight Savings Time; closing time will be 1:30 PM, or 2:00 PM at the latest. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of either or both lecturers for 45 minutes at the end of thedebate period, which “Question and Answer” session will be moderated.

Parking is available on-campus in the multi-level University Parking Structure in the northeast corner of campus, on the west side of Bonnie Brae Place, with its entrance just south of Division Street in River Forest. There is food and coffee available at the campus Koehneke Community Center on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and at the Starbucks and Subway venues, but no food or drink are permitted in the Chapel of Our Lord.

Dr. Kloha recently published a significant essay on Biblical textual criticism titled “Theological and Hermeneutical Reflections on the Ongoing Revisions of the Novum Testamentum Graece”, in: Achim Behrens/Jorg Christian Salzmann, eds., Listening to the Word of God: Exegetical Approaches, Oberurseler Hefte Ergänzungsband 16 (Göttingen: Edition Ruprecht, 2016). His doctoral dissertation at Leeds in England was on the topic of textual criticism: Jeffrey John Kloha, (2006), A textual commentary on Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, PhD thesis, University of Leeds (seehttp://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/296 ). He is the co-editor of and contributor to the Festschrift for his doctoral advisor: Peter Doble and Jeffrey Kloha, eds., Text and Traditions: Essays in Honor of J. Keith Elliott (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2014). More information about Dr. Kloha and his work can be found here.

Dr. Montgomery, in addition to his position at Concordia University Wisconsin, is the Professor Emeritus of Law and Humanities, University of Bedfordshire, England. His academic degrees include Ph.D. (Chicago), D.Théol. (Strasbourg, France), LL.D. (Cardiff, Wales, U.K.), Dr. honoris causa (Institute for Religion and Law, Moscow). He is Pastor Emeritus in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Dr. Montgomery is the Director of the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights, Strasbourg, France. He is the author or editor of more than 70 books (including Crisis in Lutheran Theology) and 100 scholarly journal articles. He is a member of the California, D.C., Virginia, Washington State and U.S. Supreme Court bars; Barrister-at-Law, England and Wales; Avocat à la Cour, Paris. More information about Dr. Montgomery and his work can be found here and here.

The Lutheran Concerns Association (a.k.a. LCA) offers an annual conference in January in Fort Wayne, Indiana, prior to the Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne Symposia and also publishes The Lutheran Clarion. The Lutheran Clarion is published regularly to support issues and causes within The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod which build faithfulness to true Confessional Lutheranism and to be a clear voice of Christian concern against actions and causes which conflict with faithfulness to the One True Faith.

The debate will be live-streamed and later archived for viewers to watch courtesy of the Brothers of John the Steadfast. Please go towww.steadfastlutherans.org/debate for more information.

The principal place of business for all matters pertaining to the LCA is: Lutheran Concerns Association, 149 Glenview Drive, New Kensington, PA 15068-4921. Queries about the organization and its activities may be directed to the LCA President, Mr. Walter Dissen, phone: (757) 436-2049; or email: [email protected].